doll

noun

ˈdäl 

ˈdȯl

1

: a small-scale figure of a human being used especially as a child's plaything

2

a(1)

: a pretty but often empty-headed young woman

(2)

: woman

b

: darling, sweetheart

c

: an attractive person

dollish

ˈdä-lish 

ˈdȯ-

adjective

dollishly adverb

dollishness noun

Synonyms

• action figure
• dolly
• poppet [Midland]
• puppet

Examples of doll in a Sentence

My aunt collects porcelain dolls.

there was a row of dolls along the shelf in the bedroom

Recent Examples on the Web

And, for a spell in the nineteen-eighties, Lynch kept a proto-ricky group of identical Woody Woodpecker dolls in his office, named Chucko, Buster, Pete, Bob, and Dan. —Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2025

At one point, a sleepy Pekingese took notice of Alice’s baby doll. —Chloe Malle, Vogue, 28 Jan. 2025

Where to watch: In theaters ‘The Rule of Jenny Pen’ (March 7) The psychological thriller stars Geoffery Rush as a partially paralyzed stroke patient at a retirement home and John Lithgow as the sadistic resident terrorizing him with a dementia doll. —Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 27 Jan. 2025

Although there wasn’t a noose around the neck of the doll, the symbolism for some was a lynching because Mahomes is biracial. —Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 27 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

probably from Doll, nickname for Dorothy

First Known Use

circa 1700, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing doll

• Barbie doll
• bobblehead doll
• doll's house
• doll up
• rag doll

Kids Definition

doll

noun

ˈdäl 

ˈdȯl

1

: a small figure of a human being used especially as a child's plaything

2

a

: a pretty young woman

b

: an attractive person